Killer Cuts: A Dead-End Job Mystery (24 page)
BOOK: Killer Cuts: A Dead-End Job Mystery
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“But Honey didn’t kill him. She told me his health was bad and she doubted he’d live long.You can stand anything—or anyone—for a while.”
H
elen was stunned by the way Melody had talked about her
elen was stunned by the way Melody had talked about her
sister. On the bus back to the Coronado, she brooded over
the conversation.
Was Melody honest—or jealous? She practically said that Honey wanted to get rid of King. His murder was convenient:The couple was legally married.The bride didn’t sign a prenup.The groom died before he knew his treasured son was really a daughter. And the ultrasound tech made a mistake—or did she make a mistake? Did clever Honey trick King into marriage?
Helen wanted to run this conversation by her landlady. Margery was a shrewd judge of people. When Helen arrived at the Coronado, Margery was even more anxious to talk to her.
“You’ve got a letter,” her landlady said.
“I do?” Helen asked.”I never get anything but junk mail.”
“No, this one is personally addressed to you.”
Helen looked at the ordinary white envelope. Her name and address were in printed in blue ink.There was no return address.
Helen opened the envelope. On a plain sheet of white typing paper, in black letters cut from newspapers and magazines, was this message:
STOP OR YOU WILL BE PUNISHED.
STOP OR YOU WILL BE PUNISHED.
“What’s wrong?” Margery asked. “You look sick. You’re as pale as milk.”
“I am sick,” Helen said.”Look at this anonymous letter. It says I will be punished.”
“For what?” Margery said.
“I don’t know.The letter is only six words. It tells me to stop.”
“Sensible advice,” Margery said. “Which means you won’t take it. What is the postmark?”
“Ocean City, Maryland.”
“Do you know anyone there?”
“No,” Helen said. “But this letter is creepy.The words are cut from newspapers and magazines like some weird ransom note.”
“You’ve been messing around in a murder again, haven’t you?” Mar gery handed Helen the letter.
Helen picked it up between two fingers, as if it were a scorpion.”A little. I was trying to help Miguel Angel.”
“He can help himself. He shouldn’t have run from the police after that gossip guy died.”
“Miguel Angel got scared,” Helen said.”He’s not from this country.”
“So what? Most of South Florida wasn’t born here. More than half of Miami doesn’t speak English. Does that mean everyone should run?”
“No,” Helen said. “But I can see why Miguel was worried. He’s a gay Cuban.”
“Former Cuban,” Margery said.”He’s a U.S. citizen now.As for gays, Fort Lauderdale may have more gays than San Francisco.They’re hardly an oppressed minority in this city. Helen, why don’t you leave this puzzle to the professionals? You’ve been conducting your own amateur investigation, haven’t you?”
“I asked a few questions,” Helen said.”That’s all.”
“And you went alone, without Phil?”
“I can take care of myself,” Helen said.
“King Oden was big and strong and a lot more powerful than you,” Margery said.”Now he’s dead.”
“He was easy to kill. King was using drugs and alcohol,” Helen said. “And he was sick.”
“Everyone is easy to kill, if the killer is motivated,” Margery said. “You can be pushed under a bus, or hit on the head and dropped in the ocean, or rolled in a rug and taken to the Everglades. No one will ever find your body.”
“Thank you for those lovely thoughts,” Helen said. “But I doubt that a pregnant woman could drag my body to the Everglades.”
“You think the widow did it?” Margery asked.
“I ran into Honey today. She was hugely pregnant. And her little boy suddenly morphed into the girl she’s always wanted. A very con venient sex change, now that Daddy is dead—and before he found out his marriage was a mistake.”
“Honey won’t have to haul your body around. If King is really worth ninety million, she can afford to hire a killer,” Margery said.”And you’re walking around unguarded.Where’s Phil?”
“I think he’s interviewing someone right now.”
“For work?” Margery demanded.
“For me,” Helen said.
“Terrific,” Margery said.”Do you two want a double funeral? I can perform that service, too.”
“No, I just want King’s murder solved, so I can have a normal life.”
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